The 28th annual Butkus Award® selection process to honor the nation's best linebackers began Monday with announcement of the collegiate pre-season watch list.
Each watch list contains 51 candidates, honoring the now-retired professional jersey number of Dick Butkus, who is regarded by NFL Films as the best defensive player in football history. The selection panel is comprised of 51 coaches, evaluators and journalists, coordinated by Pro Football Weekly.
The Collegiate Butkus Award watch list includes 51 candidates from 38 universities. Manti Te'o of Notre Dame is the only returning finalist, after having won the inaugural High School Butkus Award in 2008.
Candidates in addition to those appearing on the watch list may be considered for the Award.
Semi-finalists will be named October 22, finalists November 20, and winners will be notified on or before December 4.
Denicos Allen, Michigan State University
Dion Bailey, University of Southern California
Steve Beauharnais, Rutgers University
Chris Borland, University of Wisconsin
Jonathan Bostic, University of Florida
Arthur Brown, Kansas State University
Jonathan Brown, University of Illinois
Max Bullough, Michigan State University
Jamie Collins, University of Southern Mississippi
Ja'Gared Davis, Southern Methodist University
Zaviar Gooden, University of Missouri
Jeremiah Greene, University of Nevada
Khaseem Greene, Rutgers University
Alanzo Highsmith, University of Arkansas
Gerald Hodges, Penn State University
DeVonte Holloman, University of South Carolina
Andrew Jackson, Western Kentucky University
Jelani Jenkins, University of Florida
A.J. Johnson, University of Tennessee
Nico Johnson, University of Alabama
Christian Jones, Florida State University
Jarvis Jones, University of Georgia
Uona Kaveinga, Brigham Young University
A.J. Klein, Iowa State University
Jake Knott, Iowa State University
Cameron Lawrence, Mississippi State University
Travis Long, Washington State University
John Lotulelei, University of Florida
Brandon Magee, Arizona State University
Michael Mauti, Penn State University
Lerentee McCray, University of Florida
Kevin Minter, Louisiana State University
Nick Moody, Florida State University
Damontre Moore, Texas A&M University
Sio Moore, University of Connecticut
James Morris, University of Iowa
C.J. Mosley, University of Alabama
Trent Murphy, Stanford University
David Nwabuisi, Northwestern University
Sean Porter, Texas A&M University
Keith Pough, Howard University
Kevin Reddick, University of North Carolina
Douglas Rippy, University of Colorado
Etienne Sabino, Ohio State
Shane Skov, Stanford University
Kenny Tate, University of Maryland
Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech
Manti Te'o, University of Notre Dame
Chase Thomas, Stanford University
Cornelius Washington, University of Georgia
Tom Wort, University of Oklahoma